The present invention relates to a method of and system for producing identification cards and, more particularly, it is related to an improved high speed and relatively uncomplicated method of and system for producing identification cards of the photographic type.
Photographic identification cards are widely accepted and used throughout the world for a variety of public and private purposes. These cards are in demand because, among other features, they enable easy and reliable identification and verification of the bearers of such cards.
Some early identification systems included the steps of cutting a photograph and pasting it onto an indicia bearing card. Thereafter, the composite photograph and indicia bearing card were laminated to form an identification card. As can be appreciated, this process did not lend itself to high volume production. Moreover, it was subject to problems such as the wrong photograph and card being attached together through either confusion or deception.
Improvements over the foregoing technique involved simultaneously taking a single image of the subject to be photographed together with the related indicia card. Thereafter, the composite image was laminated to form the identification card. Examples of these kinds of identification systems are the Polaroid ID-2 or ID-3 Land Identification Systems. In these systems, a data card containing the desired descriptive information is integrated with the camera so that the subject and the descriptive matter pertaining to the subject are simultaneously exposed on a film strip to provide a single developable image. Thereafter, the strip is processed to provide a transfer print having thereon an image-bearing layer containing an image of the subject at one portion thereof and the descriptive matter at another. These systems serve quite satisfactorily. However, they require a somewhat complicated and expensive apparatus at each field location. Moreover, such systems, to be effective in the field, require additional steps such as laminating, die cutting and sealing for enhancing the appearance and stability of the finished identification card.
With any identification system it is important to be able to provide duplicates. For making duplicate cards, cameras have been developed which are relatively complicated insofar as they require dual subject and data card imaging systems. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,863 is an example of an identification camera having an image duplicating system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,510 is an example of identification camera system wherein a card is to be produced and a lens system records a duplicate image on a photographic film. Both of these latter duplicating systems perform satisfactorily, but are relatively complicated and expensive, especially if many are to be used at plural locations.
Also with identification cards of the foregoing type it is critical that they be validated so as to discourage tampering or alteration thereof. Validating steps tend to be expensive and this, of course, adds to the expense of the final identification card containing them. One relatively simple and, therefore, less expensive technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,594, wherein validating information is encoded photographically onto the composite photograph of the subject and identifying indicia. There is a drawback with the foregoing approach insofar as each camera taking the subjects' image must contain a verification system. It will be understood that with many cameras with validating systems at different field locations there is greater likelihood that the validating system will be compromised. This is significant given that many companies and government agencies have a need for identification systems at branch facilities of field locations scattered over large geographical areas.
The foregoing systems described are of the type which use instant developing film. There are, however, other photographic identification systems which rely on conventional negative film to record composite images of the person and the related identifying indicia. These latter systems are referred to as wet processing systems and suffer several significant drawbacks. Primarily, these are due to the inherently complicated and cumbersome nature of a wet process wherein precise chemical processing and control are needed to properly develop the exposed images. Aside from the foregoing drawbacks they tend to be less reliable insofar as one cannot determine whether the subject being identified was properly photographed until an entire roll of film has been photographed and processed. Such a delay can take several weeks. It is clear, therefore, that such a system suffers from several drawbacks.